COVID-19: Latest developments in the Greater Toronto Area on May 21

Here are the latest developments on the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Friday:

Ontario’s top doctor says the province will now allow for second doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to be administered.

Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, said the second dose administration will being with those who received their first dose between March 10 and 19.

Shots will begin to be administered the week of May 24, with informed consent. Williams said those who are eligible should contact the provider who administered their first dose to book their appointment.

Ontario youth between 12 and 17 will be eligible to have COVID-19 vaccine appointments booked as of Sunday morning, the Ford government.

According to a statement issued Friday afternoon, appointments can be booked through the provincial portal or through select pharmacies as of 8 a.m. The opening of booking came a week earlier than originally planned.

However, to get an appointment, the youth must be 12 years old on the date of the booking.

For those who are not yet 12 years old by Sunday, the province said they can book their appointment for a later date through the provincial call centre (1-833-943-3900) or directly through public health units who have their own booking system.

The Ontario government says it will begin to allow for general visitors at long-term care homes in the province effective Saturday.

The news comes in response to the province announcing its phased reopening plan on Thursday, a memo from the Ministry of Long-Term Care on Friday read.

“As you will have heard, yesterday the government released its Roadmap to Reopen, a three-step plan to safely and cautiously reopen the province and gradually lift public health measures,” the memo began.

It goes on to say that effective Saturday, general visitors can come to long-term care homes to see their loved ones for an outdoor visit.

Ontario reported 1,890 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.

Of those:

• 469 were in Toronto
• 468 were in Peel Region
• 165 were in York Region
• 107 were in Durham Region
• 70 were in Halton Region

Ontario is reporting 1,890 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The provincial total now stands at 518,980.

The death toll in the province has risen to 8,579 as 27 more deaths were recorded.

As of 8 p.m. on Thursday, more than 7.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered. That marks an increase of 158,524 vaccines in the last day, a new daily record for vaccinations. There are 495,757 people fully vaccinated with two doses.

Officials have listed breakdown data for the new VOCs (variants of concern) detected so far in the province which consist of the B.1.1.7 (first detected in the United Kingdom), B.1.351 (first detected in South Africa), P.1 (first detected in Brazil), as well as mutations that have no determined lineage.

The B.1.1.7 VOC is currently the dominating known strain at 115,799 variant cases, which is up by 1,230 since the previous day, 691 B.1.351 variant cases which is up by seven, and 2,142 P.1 variant cases which is up by 53.

According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 3,768 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which is an increase of one death since yesterday. Thirteen virus-related deaths in total have been reported among staff.

There are 34 current outbreaks in homes, which is down by three from the previous day.

The ministry also indicated there are currently 53 active cases among long-term care residents 101 active cases among staff — up by one and unchanged, respectively, in the last day.

NOTE: This page will be updated throughout the day.